Club
08 October 2026
The chairwoman of OL Lyonnes and Olympique Lyonnais, and founder of Kynisca, has become the first woman to receive this award, which recognises her impact on football in Europe and North America.
Michele Kang, president of OL Lyonnes, was awarded the Best Female Executive prize at the 2026 World Football Summit, becoming the first woman in the history of the award to receive this honour.
Michele Kang received her award on Tuesday evening at the WFS Awards ceremony in Madrid, following a day of conferences attended by thousands of leaders from the global football industry.
WFS Awards
The WFS Awards recognise leaders and organisations that are helping to shape the future of football. In selecting the chairwoman of both Lyon clubs, who also owns the London City Lionesses and the Washington Spirit, the jury highlighted her impact on both men’s and women’s football in Europe and North America, notably her pioneering work in creating a global multi-club model specifically designed for women’s football, as well as her approach to building organisations focused on long-term performance and sustainability.
« I am deeply honoured to receive this award, especially when I think of the extraordinary leaders who have gone before me. Football is evolving rapidly, both on and off the pitch, and I am convinced that its future will be shaped by leaders who are prepared to challenge conventional wisdom, invest ambitiously and build for the long term », said Michele Kang. « To receive this recognition for my work in football, and to be the first woman to receive this award, is particularly significant. I hope it also reflects the growing role that women are playing in the leadership and development of football at all levels. »
Governance, Ownership & Leadership
Earlier in the day, Michele Kang had joined Chad Biagini, Chairman of Excel Search & Advisory, for an informal discussion as part of the Governance, Ownership & Leadership programme at WFS Madrid.
The discussion highlighted Michele Kang’s vision of leadership and the need for long-term investment to support the development of women’s football. Through the creation of Kynisca in 2024 – the first multi-club organisation dedicated to women’s football – she argues that the talent and demand have always been there. In her view, the main challenge now is to provide the financial resources, governance and appropriate infrastructure to unlock this potential.
Past winners of the WFS Best Executive Award include Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, Fernando Carro, Ferran Soriano and Aleksander Čeferin.
Photo credit : World Football Summit
